President’s Diary

Jottings from Irish CE President Ruth Agnew’s diary

Clonaneese CE Sunday

Clonaneese Presbyterian CE held their annual CE Sunday on the 3rd February 2019. Their theme was “If Your Way Isn’t Working… Try God’s Way”. The evening started with the Revd Jackie Spence welcoming everyone to the service. The opening hymn was “The Lord is my Salvation”. Then the Irish President, Mrs Ruth Agnew brought greetings and the Local Union President, Mrs Sandra Busby, opened in prayer. The band and singers led the praise which everyone took part in and thoroughly enjoyed. The Young People’s and Young Adult’s Choir sang several times and the pieces were, “Only a Holy God”, “My Living Hope”, “Yes and Amen” and “All I have is Christ”. There were also a few people who gave a short word of testimony. Some teenagers took part in a sketch and this showed us the direction God wants us to take, and that we shouldn’t follow the crowd. The Revd Andrew Faulkner spoke and brought a message on “How we should live for Jesus and not to give into sin”. The evening finished with the singing of, “Christ is enough for me”. Once again the ladies made a beautiful supper which was enjoyed by everyone.

Clonaneese JCE & Junior High

Clonaneese Junior CE and Junior High had a good number of children and young people there. I brought the story again of putting God First in our lives as that is my theme for the year. The children were very attentive and seemed to have been listening when Pauline Condy did a quiz at the end of the evening. Tyrone, came along for the evening. The children really enjoyed what she brought to the CE that night. She spoke on Ruth and Naomi and how we need to have no other gods. Tandragee Methodist Juniors extended a warm welcomed to Mrs Busby to their meeting on the 8th February. We had a great time together with the children doing their part in leading and singing some choruses. Sandra told the story of Ruth and Naomi and the children thoroughly enjoyed listening to how God used Naomi and Ruth.

1st Newtownards JCE

I was invited to attend the JCE in 1st Newtownards Presbyterian on the 15th February. We had a great time and the children were very attentive to what I had to say. Cherry and the Leaders gave me a very warm welcome. It was great to see a group of children so enthusiastic about CE and were not afraid to participate. We sat around on the floor and talked about how we should put God first in our lives.

Tandragee Methodist JCE

At my own JCE in Tandragee Mrs Sandra Busby, our Local President of Armagh and South

THE IRISH ENDEAVOURER l 07

Laghey JCE

February the 26th I was invited back to Laghey JCE and had a good night again. The children showed a keen interest in taking part and also helped out in the story. I used the Pencil and illustrated how we can be like the pencil. We need to be sharpened and sometimes in our lives we can be like the pencil on which the lead has broken. The rubber teaches us when we make a mistake we can rub it out and start all over again just like sin God wants to rub out all our sin by our asking Him into our hearts. The lead being the most important part of the pencil if it isn’t working it is not doing what it was intended to do. Our insides can be full of sin but God wants us to accept him as Lord and Saviour. It is not what is on the outside that matters but what is on the inside.

Fergus Hall Senior CE

Mrs Sandra Busby, Armagh and South Tyrone President, came along to Fergus Hall Senior CE on the 4th March. She spoke about how God had saved her and gave her testimony. The folks gather there on the 1st and 4th Monday in the month. They really enjoyed Sandra taking the time to come and speak to them.

Armagh & South Tyrone JCE Fun Day

We had a great day at the Armagh & South Tyrone Junior Fun Day in March. There were around 20 children present. June Knox our Junior Convenor had a team of willing helpers from Clonaneese CE to help with some games at the start of the afternoon. Miss Emma Reid, from CEF, came and spoke and the children seemed to enjoy their afternoon. Afterwards we had the usual hot dogs and biscuits to end the day.

Dundrum Methodist JCE, Dublin

March 26th I was invited to go to visit Dundrum Methodist JCE Dublin. I headed down on the train and met up with Sharon Mulhare who leads the CE there. She had a lovely tea for me and then we went to meet the children for the meeting. A great bunch of kids who really helped with the story. The leaders do a great work among the children there and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there.

2nd Broughshane JCE

The 28th March I was invited to present the prizes at Second Broughshane Presbyterian Junior CE. We had a good night and the children were excellent in singing and doing a drama. The leaders are great in how they bring all the children into everything and they make them feel so important. The Speaker was from MAF and gave a presentation on how MAF work on the mission field.

Togherdoo Methodist JCE Sunday

Togherdoo Methodist Junior CE Sunday was held on the 7th April. We had a great time and the children did all they had to do 100%. A varied programme was put together and Hazel, and the leaders, certainly put a lot of effort into training these children in the way of Jesus. I brought a talk on how we need to put Jesus First in our lives. There were 30 children sitting around the altar listening and answering when asked to do so.

Ballygawley JCE Parent’s Night

Ballygawley had their Annual JCE Parents’ Night on the 16th April. The leaders do a sterling job working with the Juniors and they had a varied programme where everyone was involved. There was a good number out in support and again I brought a message of how we need to put Jesus First.

Enniskillen Union Celebration Night

The Enniskillen Union’s end of year CE Celebration was held in Ballinamallard Methodist Church on the Friday 3rd May. A number of Societies came and took part in various ways reciting, singing and leading in worship. The President, Mrs Diane Simpson, led the meeting. I brought a message on how God wants to use each one of us. We are all different and unique and if we let God into our lives He can use us to further His Kingdom.

Visit of Harry Wedekind Vice President of Europe, World’s Christian Endeavour Union (WCEU)

It was lovely to meet Mr Harry Wedekind Vice President of Europe who hails from the Netherlands. The Irish Executive had the privilege of meeting him on the 4th May 2019. Our General Secretary, Mrs Rosemary

McDaniel, met him at Belfast City Airport and then visited the city centre in Belfast and met the Irish Union Treasurer, Mrs Jean McGall and went out for lunch.

Rosemary and Jean then took him on an open top tour bus of Belfast to give him a “taster” of some of the sights of our capital city.

Then we met some of the Committee members and their spouses for a lovely dinner, in the evening, at Seagoe Hotel. This was his first visit to Ireland and he really appreciated the hospitality. He stayed with the Irish President, Mrs Ruth Agnew and her husband Brian, for the night and they had the privilege bringing him to Church. Ruth and Brian enjoyed lunch with Harry before they left him to the train station to go to Dublin to meet up with some of his students from the Netherlands.

Seniors’ Spring Break

The Seniors’ Spring Break was held in Magherabuoy Hotel on the outskirts of Portrush. It was held from the 21st May to the 24th May. I was invited to go up on the Tuesday to have dinner with them and then take the meeting. There was a good number this year and we had a great time of fellowship. My talk that evening was on being thankful to God for all He has done for us. We had a time of praise and my Mum and I headed for home leaving the rest to enjoy some games.

Ballinmallard Christian Holiness Week

On Sunday the 7th July Brian and I were invited to take part in the Ballinamallard Christian Holiness Camp meetings in the Archdale Hall. Mr Hylands Mitchell had invited Brian and myself to come along and sing at both meetings on the Sunday. He also wanted me to promote Christian Endeavour in the area. I brought a number of leaflets and was able to set up a stand for the week along with other missionary stands such as the Faith Mission & IEB. It was a privilege to go and represent CE in this way and to be able to get a chance during both meetings to speak on CE and what it means to me as Irish President this year and also to encourage getting another CE started up again in the Ballinamallard area. It was great to meet some of Mrs Winnie Gould’s family at both meetings. Winnie and her late husband did a lot for Christian Endeavour throughout the years when they came home from the mission field. The speaker for the week was the Rev John Treese from Ohio, USA. He is a graduate of Allegheny Wesleyan College. His wife, Annette, accompanied him and we had a blessed time together as he spoke on 9 scriptures on how we need to live holy lives. This event run though from the 7th July to the 14th July.

Ruth Agnew, Irish CE Union President